Endless Reminder
by Kimmo Pronger
Summary: With all the women he's friends with, he's always reminded of the one woman who made him the way he is today: Mia Fey.


He's 35 years old. He has a daughter and she occasionally reminds him that she needs a mother in her life. Phoenix knows that her real mother is still out there and is still waiting for the day she reveals herself to Trucy.

He was thankful for Thalassa being alive. Because if it weren't, he'd feel that much more pressure to find a woman to marry.

Phoenix pondered, is he doomed to marry for the sake of satisfying her daughter's wishes? Is he doomed to marry so he won't be lonely, and not because he genuinely loves the woman?

No, he knew the reason. Every woman whose eyes he looked into, her silhouette appeared behind whomever he spoke to.

It started with the younger sister she left behind: Maya Fey. He knew he had to protect her only little sister in the world.

Then, there was Lana Skye. He immediately saw Mia's image in her. And not just that, she also had a younger sister with a similar physique and hairstyle like Maya Fey.

Then there was Pearl Fey, the little girl. Another part of the Fey Clan who is close to Maya Fey, and his her cousin.

Who came next in his life would be a little girl who would be his light in the seemingly endless darkness caused by his disbarment. He took Trucy in as his own daughter. Her sheer positive demeanor and the impact he had on her reminded him in so many ways about Mia Fey's resolve. It took him back to that fateful day when she defended him when he thought the only way out of his troubling situation was to lie his way out of it. The way she practiced with such dedication reminded him of how hard Mia Fey worked him during the days she was his mentor.

After his disbarment, he would take in another new protégé after Apollo Justice. Athena Cykes. At first, she was unclear as to why she became a lawyer. It must have been private business, so he left her alone on it. But once everything came around full circle and the reason became clear, Phoenix had another flashback. His mind took him back to that night when he found his dear friend slumped against the wall. For her to try and save Simon Blackquill from his fate, he was going to do everything he could to ensure that she would get what she desired. Because in his heart, he wished he could have prevented her death from happening. He did not want her to suffer the same internal pain he felt when she left him too soon.

Somehow, someway, Mia Fey always reappears in some shape or form in his life.

It just doesn't stop. Even Apollo and Athena caught on to an extent. They question him and his relationship with that plant. They see him smiling whenever he waters Charley. They know that the plant was around during Phoenix's early years as a lawyer, but do not know why he held it so dear. And when they ask him about it, he became very mellow and politely declined to tell them about it.

When Maya Fey returned to the office at last…Charley's leaves seem to have lightened up. Phoenix thought in his mind that Charley must have mistaken Maya for her late sister. She did mature physically, so she does look a little bit like Mia but Maya still looks like Maya, if that made sense.

While he was working with his old assistant like old times on a wedding-themed case, Maya claimed she was an expert on the subject of love. Phoenix only gave a hollow laugh at her as he immediately thought that he could have asked her…if she was still alive.

 _"_ _I'm sure we'll meet again someday, Phoenix."_

The last words she has ever said to him, and that was nine years ago. But then, something happened that he never thought would. When Maya smiled and reminded him that he couldn't make a long face in front of his client, he became stunned.

For the briefest of moments, he thought he saw her again. He could have sworn that he saw those eyes, _her eyes_. After all, that saying he holds so dear to him were from her. Knowing that Mia perhaps never truly left his side, he became reinvigorated and determined to flip the case on its head.

Maya watched on in approval as she saw that smile of confidence come back but she was puzzled as to why Phoenix was staring at her like that.

Following the conclusion of the wedding, he was promptly invited to the reception. And as he watched the two lovebirds celebrate their tying of the knot, he could not help but see himself up there…with Mia Fey.

He could not escape it, no matter how much he thought he moved on. Phoenix never truly did.

The love in his heart would be for her, and her alone.

Mia Fey.

 _I'll never forget what you taught me. I'm sure you're proud of how much I've come so far in my career as a defense attorney._

 _But…what you and I once had, I'll always treasure it. I'll never forget. We will talk again. I believe in that chance. After all, I did say before that there's still so much to say._


End file.
